Lisandro Martinez's 'inexplicable' 83 seconds cost Manchester United against Chelsea
Defender received two yellow cards in quick succession, leading to his dismissal and Chelsea's second goal.
Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez was sent off in the 67th minute of his team's 2-0 loss to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, a moment described as "inexplicable" that significantly impacted the match.
Martinez, who had already received a yellow card, committed two fouls within a span of 83 seconds. The first was a reckless challenge that resulted in a penalty, and the second was a clear elbow to the face of an opponent while attempting to block a corner, leading to his immediate red card. Referee Peter Bankes, after consulting VAR, issued the dismissal, leaving Manchester United to play with 10 men for the remainder of the game.
"He jumped into him, making no attempt to play the ball and not even looking at the ball as it came in from the corner," said former World Cup final official Darren Cann, commenting on Martinez's actions. "Martinez was rightly sent off for two bookable offences, as well as conceding a needless penalty for the reckless challenge on Fofana."
Manager Michael Carrick acknowledged the red card was a "big moment in the game" but stated he had not reviewed the incident. "The second goal and losing a man at that stage had a big influence on it, for sure," he added.
The red card occurred shortly after Chelsea had taken a 2-0 lead. According to former England defender Stephen Warnock, the situation was dire for Manchester United. "At 1-0 down United are still in a decent position. You're still in the game. At 2-0 and down to 10 men, effectively the game is over."
Former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole was critical of Martinez's recurring disciplinary issues. "In a Man Utd shirt, he's just at the scene of the crime too often," Cole remarked on TNT Sports. "Whatever the next Man Utd phase is, I think Martinez's time at the club has run its course."
Despite the setback, Manchester United avoided conceding a third goal, with a tight VAR decision ruling out Estevao's effort for offside. Martinez is now suspended for the upcoming Premier League match against Aston Villa.
Martinez's dismissal marks another difficult period for Manchester United, who are now nine games without a win in all competitions, their worst run since 1988-89. The team is perilously close to dropping into the relegation zone for the first time since the early days of Sir Alex Ferguson's tenure. The club also faces a crucial Champions League qualifier against Roma.
Carrick expressed a need to move forward and focus on winning matches. "The way they went about it and played, the quality of football and the way we played in the first half definitely gives encouragement, and we've got to take that," he said.